Circular No. 8086
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
CBAT@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
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Phone 617-495-7440/7244/7444 (for emergency use only)


SUPERNOVAE 2003bj, 2003bk, 2003bl, AND 2003bm
     Three new apparent supernovae have been found on unfiltered
CCD images -- SN 2003bk and SN 2003bl by B. Swift, D. Weisz, and W.
Li (LOTOSS; cf. IAUC 8075), and SN 2003bm by T. Boles (cf. IAUC
8073):

SN      2003 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.      Offset
2003bk  Feb. 28.5   12 22 42.14  + 9 20 01.2  17.0   1".9 W, 4".2 N
2003bl  Mar.  2.5   13 57 30.65  + 6 05 36.4  18.4   15".1 E, 12".6 S
2003bm  Mar.  2.89   8 07 22.87  +40 23 44.3  18.0   16".6 E, 10".1 S

Additional approximate magnitudes by the respective discoverers:
SN 2003bk in NGC 4316, Jan. 31.5 UT, [18.5; Mar. 2.3, 17.0.  SN
2003bl in NGC 5374, 2002 June 13.3, [19.0; Mar. 3.5, 18.4.  SN
2003bm in UGC 4226, Feb. 20, [19.0; Mar. 3.989, 18.0.  SN 2003bm is
also absent from Palomar Sky Survey red and blue plates.
     M. Phillips and M. Hamuy, Carnegie Observatories, report that
a spectrum (range 380-930 nm) of SN 2003bk, obtained on Mar. 3.28
UT with the Las Campanas Dupont 2.5-m telescope (+ WFCCD), shows it
to be a highly reddened type-II supernova having a red continuum
with a strong H_alpha line exhibiting a P-Cyg profile.  The minimum
of the H_alpha absorption yields an expansion velocity of 7600
km/s, assuming the NED recession velocity of 1252 km/s for the host
galaxy.  A spectrum of SN 2003bl, taken on Mar. 3.35, shows it to
be a young type-II supernova with a blue continuum, weak P-Cyg
Balmer lines, and He I at 587.6 nm; the minimum of the H_beta
absorption yields an expansion velocty of 6300 km/s, assuming the
NED recession velocity of 4295 km/s for the host galaxy.  Hamuy
adds that a spectrum of SN 2003bj (cf. IAUC 8085), obtained as
above on Mar. 2.30 by M. Roth and N. Morrell, shows it to be a
young type-II supernova having a blue continuum with weak H_alpha
and H_beta P-Cyg lines and a well-defined He I 587.6-nm line.


NOVA IN M81
     Further to their reports on IAUC 8085, A. V. Filippenko and R.
Chornock also write that inspection of CCD spectra, obtained (as
related on IAUC 8084) on Feb. 27 UT, shows that the 'possible nova
in M81' that was reported on IAUC 8069 is indeed a nova.  Strong,
double-peaked hydrogen Balmer emission lines are visible.  Many Fe
II, Ca II, and O I lines also appear in emission.  An estimated
magnitude of the object from the TV guider is R = 22-23.

                      (C) Copyright 2003 CBAT
2003 March 3                   (8086)            Daniel W. E. Green